‘HELL NO, I WON’T GO’: Hampton principal stays put

Murray said that she didn’t agree to going on leave and will be staying put.

As such, Murray was on the job Monday after shooting off a letter — through her attorney Andre Earle of the form Earle & Wilson — informing Trevor Blake, chairman of the school board, over the weekend that she would not be going on the announced two weeks leave.

The leave should have commenced on Monday, January 16. The announcement of the leave followed a meeting with Education Minister Ruel Reid, Blake, Murray and other education officials.

The meeting was to discuss allegations that Murray interfered with journalists trying to capture images of Clarke being led from the St Elizabeth Parish Court on January 4.

“Suffice it to say — and we are sure that you will agree — at no time in the said meeting attended by our client did she agree that her action was inconsistent with the principles of the Child Care and Protection Act,” read a copy of the letter obtained by Loop News.

“Further, our client did not agree to apply for two weeks or any leave at all,” the letter added.

The letter continued: “In your electronic mail of January 13, 2017 you confirmed an earlier discussion you had with our client on the said date, to wit, that at the said board meeting, the motion was made that the board should accept our client’s apology and take no further action against client.

“Having regard to the foregoing, our client has instructed us that she has no need nor desire to proceed on any leave whatsoever and she will, be attending school on Monday, January 16, 2017 to continue her normal duties as principal.”

Murray had said in a statement following her court attendance that she was there in support of the pastor’s wife who’s a lifelong friend of hers.

Clarke was arrested on December 28, 2016 after he was allegedly caught having sex with a 15 year-old girl in his car.

He’s since been offered bail and has been suspended from pastoral duties.